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Package Facts 



Notes on 
Labels, Cans, Cartons and Bottles 



I 



By 
GEORGE P. NELSON 

70 Fifth Avenue, New York 
1922 



Price One Dollar 






Copyright 1922 
George P. Nelson 



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PACKAGE FACTS 



The Author 

Mr. Nelson's experience with the organizations 
listed below, qualifies him to discuss packages. 

Cartons and Boxboard, 

Fort Orange Taper Company, 
Cans, 

Manufacturer's Can Company. 
Labels, 

Karle Lithograph Company. 
Bottles, 

Glass Container Ass'n of America. 

Closures for Bottles, 

Secretary of Cap and Closure Division, 
Glass Container Association. 

His articles on packages have appeared in such 
publications as The Business Digest, Canning Age, 
National Lithographer, Pacific Bottler, Glass Con- 
tainer and others. 



PACKAGE FACTS 






^ were going into business again and had only $ioo, 

'd spend $99 getting the right kind, design and color 

of a package. That's how important I consider it," 

—Schoolmaster's Classroom, Printers Ink, Aug. 15, 1918 



1 



PACKAGE FACTS 



Preface 

"Package Facts" is not a handbook on packages ; 
it is the off-spring of a note book, compiled during 
my ten years of package experience. 

No attempt was made to arrange the material 
logically. You may find some experience gained as 
reel-boy on a box-board machine abruptly followed by 
amplified notes made by me at a Washington confer- 
ence on label requirements or an observation as tin 
can salesman may be followed by comments on my 
survey of our hundred New York delicatessens. 

Some one of those disconnected paragraphs may 
suggest to you a weakness to be guarded against or a 
strength to be capitalized. 

The niche this little volume might properly occupy 
is admirably summarized by a manufacturing chemist 
who packages more than a hundred drug preparations. 
He writes : 

^* Unconsciously as I read I kept applying your 
thoughts to our own products, and it is easy to see 
that such an application is very much worth while, 
especially so if it were done in advance, before market- 
ing a product.^' 

Perhaps the thoughts expressed in the pages to 

follow may help clarify the thoughts of others and 

thus contribute in some degree to a better appreciation 

of the package. 

George P. Nelson. 

New York, 1922. 



PACKAGE FACTS 



Essentials on the Label 

The advertising manager of a firm which is nation- 
ally known for its grape products writes as follows 
concerning an article pubhshed by the author: "We 
like to see ourselves as others see us and the criticisms 
of the 14 labels pictured have been very helpful in 
looking at our own problem from a new angle. For 
instance, we find that in the 14 labels pictured the 
average number of words used is 27 whereas, our label 
with 76 words tops the list. Of course, a number of 
other bottlers may be using back labels." 

The last sentence is the crux of his letter. In ad- 
dition to "back" labels he might have enumerated 
bottles with blown-in lettering, neck labels, litho- 
graphed metal or paper caps, printed bottle cartons, 
booklets, inserts or other devices used to keep the 
main label free for essentials. 

A well thought out package if possible relegates 
non-essentials to some place other than the main label ; 
the government recognizes the need for and permits 
the use of devices other than the main label. As yet, 
no printed regulation has been issued but the Bureau 
of Chemistry, which is charged with enforcement 
of the Pure Food and Drugs Act, states in a 
letter that with certain minor limitations any wording 
blown-in a bottle or appearing on its cap may be 



10 PACKAGE FACTS 



considered as part of the main label. Until that inter- 
pretation appears in printed form the bureau should 
be consulted concerning its application. 

Any definition of essentials in label wording is im- 
possible unless two packages can be found which are 
marketed under identical conditions. 

It might be pertinent in a discussion of label essen- 
tials to call attention to the Jonteel label, which pic- 
tures an extraordinary bird and limits the wording to 
"Odor Jonteel." 

It is almost unbelievable that so simple a design 
should require two years for execution — that state- 
ment is made on the authority of the vice-president 
of the United Drug Company. 

Why obsure necessities with a lot of extraneous 
matter which might possibly help if it were read but 
which probably prevents proper display of essentials .^^ 



Hard Candy in Tin or Glass? 

The Charms Company had decided to add to their 
line a large twenty-five cent package. 



PACKAGE FACTS 11 



Differences of opinion within the organization led 
to a test to determine whether the new package should 
be of glass or tin. 

At first glance it would seem to be the height of 
folly to hide those lucious squares of hard candy be- 
hind non-transparent walls. Yet that is exactly what 
was done, and done in the face of an established de- 
mand for hard candy in glass. 

Precedent counts for little in package design ; gen- 
eralities may prove costly. 

Glass certainly makes an effective display container 
for hard candy, but with glass it was not possible to 
reproduce exactly that well-known little paper pack- 
age of Charms, millions of w^hich had up to this 
time been distributed. 

Decorated tin could be shaped to perfectly resemble 
the small package. The "family" resemblance was 
the determining factor ; the tin reproduction was im- 
mediately accepted as the "big brother" of the popu- 
lar five-cent package while the glass jar was accorded 
the status of a poor relation and barely managed to 
mount the very lowest rung of the ladder of popular 
recognition and good will. 



12 PACKAGE FACTS 



Half-Tones on Cartons 

The wholesale grocery firm of L. F. Hersh & 
Brother packages under their own brand, the usual 
wide variety of foodstuffs. 

Their containers, which range in size from the 
bulky cornflake carton to the small spice box, were all 
of clay-coated chip box-board. That paper furnished 
a perfect printing surface for the fine screen half-tone 
of the baby which is the Hersh trademark. 

At first the carton requirements were small but as 
the quantities increased the clay coated paper ceased 
to be an item — it assumed alarming proportions. The 
expense finally forced the use of a patent coated chip 
board requiring a coarse screen half-tone for repro- 
ducing the baby. 

In place of the life-like and fat, smiling baby was 
a "muddy" reproduction little better than those found 
in newspaper portraits. 



Relating The Package and Trade Name 

A long record of court actions to establish trade 
name infringement is further proof of the value of 
advertising. 



PACKAGE FACTS 13 



The infringers may be entirely innocent but more 
frequently they are attempting to secure to their prod- 
uct the good will built up by the original. 

The public could hardly be expected to differentiate 
between "Colax" and "Calox" or "Ceresota" and 
"Cresota." A similarity less marked, is noted when 
"Autola" and "Autodo" or "Kolodont" and "Sozo- 
dont" are compared. 

Such trade names as George Washington, Tuxedo 
and Little Brown Jug are perfectly legitimate in- 
fringements because any good will they thus secure to 
their products is not obtained at the expense of a com- 
peting article. These latter three names profit by the 
reputation of an American president, the garb worn 
at gatherings of men and the name of a well-known 
novel. 

The "Little Brown Jug" deserves special mention. 
It is unfortunate that two masterpieces of package de- 
sign should be forced to compete in the syrup indus- 
try ; in some respects the "Little Brown Jug" excells 
the justly famous "Log Cabin." 

Paid advertising went far toward making the "Log 
Cabin" famous but Meridith Nicholson's novel "The 
Little Brown Jug of Kildare" partly accounts for the 
sense of familiarity experienced when the "Little 



14 PACKAGE FACTS 



Brown Jug" is mentioned. That entertaining piece 
of fiction can be found in thousands of homes and 
public libraries; the story continues to indelibly im- 
press it's title on new generations of readers. 

Meridith Nicholson unknowingly gave to a table 
syrup valued advantages which usually must be paid 
for in cash. Paid space advertising has as one of it's 
aims the building up of that sense of familiarity which 
is otherwise known as goodwill. 

If the product and organization back of the "Little 
Brown Jug" have the same degree of excellence as is 
found in the name and package there is another niche 
in the hall of business fame about to be filled. 

On the theory that "advertising helps those who 
help themselves" the "Little Brown Jug," with its 
soundly laid ground work, appears to be ripe for using 
that great hastener of success — advertising. 

There is a point which syrup packers generally 
recognize and other industries almost universally 
neglect. "Log Cabin" syrup is contained in a mina- 
ture log cabin; "Pitcher" syrup appears in a decor- 
ated tin pitcher, with spout and handle ; "Little Brown 
Jug" syrup is packed in a brown china jug. Those 
three trade names are permissable in that they are not 
descriptive of the product which is syrup; however, 



PACKAGE FACTS 15 



the names are descriptive of the containers and the 
containers are so closely associated with the product 
as to be generally considered as the product itself. 

A negative presentation of the last mentioned point 
will perhaps make it more intelligible. Suppose "Log 
Cabin" syrup were put up in an ordinary bottle ; thus 
packed it would step down into mediocrity. 

Congratulations on their progressiveness are here 
extended to the syrup packers. 



Manufacturing Economy and Packages 

A packer of honey and syrup who uses tin and 
glass containers for his products writes as follows: 
"We are now engaged in revising our labels to get a 
better display by changing design and perhaps color- 
ing differently. . . .could you refer us to some 
specialist or label artist? We would not want this to 
be a label manufacturer's representative, as they seem 
to be prejudiced on certain colors and etc. Can you 
help us in this matter?" 

It is the old story — the regiment judged on the 
conduct of its individual soldiers. Label manufac- 
turers are here condemned because a short-sighted 



16 PACKAGE FACTS 



salesman sold his goods on price instead of holding 
out for quality and individuality of design. 

The writer of that letter was sold an atrocious label 
whlc}i was so colored that It could be printed on the 
same sheet with the similarly colored labels of a half 
a dozen other manufacturers. Quality was again 
sacrificed on the altar of price. 

It is of course Important that packages should be 
produced economically but why produce in quantity 
and at a low cost a package which fails utterly to ac- 
complish its purpose? If economy is sought spend 
$200, or if necessary $1000 for the design which is 
an initial expense and does not go one forever — five 
colors like the brook do go on forever. There are 
many two and three color packages on the market 
which tower over their weak five color neighbors ; two 
extra colors will rapidly eat up the $1000 it might 
be necessary to spend for designing a superior pack- 
age which fifty years from now could still be printed 
in three colors. 

There are manufacturers and agencies competent to 
design packages but money must be spent if it is to 
be done properly. Unfortunately for business the 
package Is one of the first considerations of a new 
venture ; new firms are too frequently handicapped by 
lack of funds so it is a great temptation to tliem to 



PACKAGE FACTS 17 



avoid the initial cost of research and good art and 
favor as a substitute, a lavish and perhaps unintelli- 
gent use of color which adds to the cost only a few 
cents per thousand packages. The few cents per 
thousand for superfluous color is the royalty demanded 
by the printing presses on every thousand packages 
for the generations of the package's existence. 



Washing Bottles 

A manufacturer who distributes more than a thous- 
and products has a leader which is sold in glass jars. 

It astonished the author to find that the two sizes 
of jars were received in open crates and filled without 
washing. Bottles which are corked as they emerge from 
the high temperature of the glass lehr and immediately 
sealed in cartons or shipping cases might properly be 
treated as sterile but glass which has been exposed to 
contamination in freight cars and handling most cer- 
tainly can not be considered as clean. 



Contrast and Packages 

A study of merchandising conditions is essential to 
the creation of art such as is found on highly success- 



18 PACKAGE FACTS 



ful packages. A design which is strikingly effective 
on the artists sketch board may prove to be weak when 
it is later placed on the package. Or, if the design 
instead of weakening the package, improves it, there 
is always the chance that the completed package may 
suffer by comparison with the competing packages 
which are it's neighbors on the retailer's shelf. 

There are two orange colored labels on the market 
which admirably illustrate the relation of the design 
to the package and the relation of the package to it's 
competitors. 

One of those orange labels ignores the container on 
which it appears and for this reason might be called 
a "sketch board" label ; the other takes advantage of 
a similarity in competing packages and reflects a care- 
ful study of the conditions under which the product is 
retailed. 

The Whistle label is solid orange and is trimmed 
sparingly with dark blue. The orange label blends 
perfectly with the orange color, which the beverage 
gives the transparent bottle. Whistle is "cloudy in 
the bottle" ; if the drink was clear there would not be 
the same solidity to the background and a stronger 
contrast would be furnished. 

A reversal of the color scheme on the Whistle label 



PACKAGE FACTS 19 



would perhaps improve the appearance of the entire 
package. A dark solid blue label, orange trimmed, 
would stand in sharp contrast to the orange drink in 
the background. 

Notable for its effective use of contrast is the Cutex 
label which is a glistening patch of black on the dull 
frosted bottle. So marked is the contrast that the 
Cutex label appears to detach itself from the bottle. 
The designer of the Cutex package utilized the con- 
trast afforded by dull and high finish, as well as the 
more usual contrast of color. 

Another contrast of finish, although the reverse of 
the combination employed by Cutex, is the flat color 
Temtor label on it's glistening jar. 

There is one other package to which tribute should 
here to be paid ; the Nazma package is a masterpiece of 
contrast and harmony. Nazma hand lotion is sold 
under a smiple lavender label, but a distinctive three 
color package is obtained by displaying the emerald 
green contents in a transparent bottle crowned with a 
white enameled cap. The bright green lotion taste- 
fully sets off the lavender label and the whole package 
is enlivened by the white cap. 

In planning the Nazma package, its cap, bottle, 
label and contents were so related that each contributes 



20 PACKAGE FACTS 



it's share to the general excellence. It might ]>g said 
that the Whistle package fails to recognize this essen- 
tial relation of the elements. 

Returning to the other orange label. Various 
brands of chocolate bars, like other merchandise dis- 
played in retail stores, are usually grouped for the 
convenience of clerks. Among the drab purples, blues 
and browns of it's neighbors Touraine's bright orange 
wrapper is instantly noticed and identified. 

The artist who designed the wrapper for Touraine 
chocolate recognized and took advantage of the re- 
tailer's custom of grouping like merchandise. Do not 
underestimate the value it is, to have your product 
instantly seen on a newstand or other place where bits 
of confectionery are traded for the change returned 
to the purchaser of a daily paper. 

A busy newstand is hardly the place for deliberate 
choice — an approaching train or trolley causes pat- 
rons to make hasty selections ; such haste benefits those 
packages which are brightly colored eye-magnets. 



Box Board Which Cracks 

Box board which has dried out, is short fibered or 
of inferior quality will frequently crack even though 



PACKAGE FACTS 21 



it Is properly scored on the cutting and creasing 
machines. 

Artists who design cartons should avoid placing 
solid bands of color where the creases fall. On a white 
surface cracks are likely to pass unnoticed but when 
an inked surface breaks and shows white through the 
color, the package might well be considered unfit for 
use. 

Good quality stock may be cracked by unnecessarily 
heavy pressure in the automatic glueing machines. 



The Package — Repeat Orders 

A fundamental in package merchandising is perhaps 
pointed out by the following episode. 

A salesman for the A. B. Dick Company sold the 
author a mimeograph. After the machine had been 
installed several days and before its novelty and un- 
usual advantages had become commonplace, the sales- 
man again called. 

That salesman timed his second call well. I appreci- 
ated his machine but up to that time my appreciation 
had not been expressed. I realize now that he skill- 



22 PACKAGE FACTS 



fully led me on to tell him why I liked his machine— 
I warmed up to him because his further interest, after 
the sale had been made, was unnecessary. 

In telling the salesman why I liked his machine, I 
fixed it's advantages firmly in my mind; on several 
occasions recently, in fact, more than two years after 
my purchase, I have praised to others the A. B. Dick 
Company, it's product and Mr. F their salesman. 

Note that after the sale was made Mr. F con- 
tinued to answer questions, offer helpful suggestions 
and most important, he ashed questions. His questions 
tended to fix the merit of his product firmly in the 
mind of his prospect. 

Whether packaged goods or machines are involved 
the situation remains unchanged. Immediately after 
the sale is made, at a time when the buyer is thorough- 
ly sold he will welcome an opportunity to justify and 
explain his purchase to others. Questions at this criti- 
cal time tend to clarify and make distinct in the 
buyer's mind the advantages of the product. Questions 
at that time are better strategy than further praise. 

The sale of every ten-cent package of cereal can 
not be followed up by a personal call. A package 
product unaccompanied by a salesman at the critical 
period immediately following the sale must depend on 



PACKAGE FACTS 23 



it's package to answer questions, give directions and 
ask questions. Questions crystallize and cause the ex- 
pression of favorable opinions which have been sub- 
consciously formed. 

Ask questions on folders, inserts and other litera- 
ture which accompanies the package. All through 
the various stages of package design it should be 
borne In mind that the package or some adjunct must 
be counted on to maintain the favorable opinion al- 
ready formed. After the sale is made, in that period 
of heightened Interest every effort should be made to 
change favorable interest to expressed enthusiasm. 

Some very interesting data would be furnished if it 
were possible to depict graphically the varying de- 
grees of interest shown by a person, first as a pros- 
pective buyer and later as a purchaser. As interest is 
gradually aroused by publication advertising, circu- 
lars, posters or salesmen the curve ascends to the point 
where the sale is made; the ascending line represents 
doubts eliminated and questions answered. 

Apply this all to packages. After the sale is made 
the package is alone with an interested audience and 
repeat orders are the goal. Make the package do it's 
share to bring in the "repeats" ; personality, warmth 
and friendliness are today expressed in cold type and 
illustration. 



24 PACKAGE FACTS 



Package design should present a problem svifficient- 
ly enticing to inspire any advertising or sales manager. 



Strength vs. Individuality 

Questions of package strength seldom arise in con- 
nection with the use of tin cans; strength assumes 
greater importance when paper is used in the form of 
cartons ; while in bottle design strength should never 
be neglected. Only bottle strength is here discussed. 

A bottle's shape is of course dictated by a series of 
considerations ; some of which are : character of con- 
tents ; conditions under which used; individuality or 
beauty of container. 

That characteristic of glass which permits it to be 
molded to any shape, enables the buyer of bottles to 
select or create any design ; the selection may be based 
on reason or it may be merely whim. 

Corrugations, flutings, panels and other devices 
appear on bottles because they are demanded by 
bottlers. Delicate, unusual and easily identified shapes 
are thus developed. 

There is no question but that distinctive containers 
have sales and advertising value but it is worth while 



PACKAGE FACTS 25 



to weigh any advantage thus gained against a 
possible sacrifice of strength or ease of washing both 
of which concern the mechanics of producing and dis- 
tributing. 

Angles, shoulders and other irregularities, in the 
bottle's surface create weak spots and cause increased 
breakage in the processes of washing, filling, capping, 
labelling, packing and shipping. 

The straight sided round tumbler is an ideal con- 
tainer from the standpoint of strength. Here is given 
the result of a test made on jelly tumblers. 

A case containing 24 five ounce jelly glasses ar- 
ranged in four rows of six and packed in an old re- 
shipplng case of 175-pound double faced board, was 
submitted to 200 falls in a testing drum without 
breakage occurring. After that test the case was 
dropped from a height of 36 inches three different 
times — still there was no breakage. 

However jelly glasses are hardly proper for liquids 
which must be poured so we have all the many varieties 
of narrow-mouth ware. Narrow-mouth bottles can be 
strengthened by eliminating shoulders and gradually 
tapering the sides to the base. 



26 PACKAGE FACTS 



Gas Pressure 

Temperature variation and time have had disaster- 
ous effects on packaged products. 

During the hot weather in May, 1922, retailers in 
all sections of the country angrily protested to the 
packer of a bottled disinfectant that his goods were 
exploding on the store shelves and in store windows. 

That trouble, which resulted in a tremendous loss of 
goodwill might have been caused by insufficient head- 
space between the level of liquid and the bottle's cork. 

If an increased amount of head-space, to permit 
gas expansion, does not entirely correct such difficul- 
ties it will be found that heating the liquid prior to 
sealing the bottles will help to remedy the trouble. A 
liberal estimate of the maximum temperature, which 
the package can be expected to later encounter, should 
be set as a filling temperature. 

Fermentation in tightly sealed containers should 
also be carefully guarded against. A packer in the 
Brooklyn Bush Terminal had a bitter experience with 
grape extract, sold in waxed paper containers. The 
seams of the paper container could not resist the 
pressure created by the gases given off in the process 
of fermentation. 



PACKAGE FACTS 27 



Products That Bleach In Glass 

By the use of glazed paper or other materials, it is 
possible to adjust the glass container to products 
which are bleached by the action of sunlight. Choco- 
late, which is thus affected, is packaged in the form of 
"shot" or bits of pencil lead about an eighth of an 
inch long. These "shot" are effective on such con- 
fections as whipped cream or cake icing and their ap- 
pearance is so appetizing that an effort should be 
made to adapt the glass container to them. 

A bottle carton would prevent bleaching of the 
chocolate in the store and would be discarded in the 
kitchen ; thus the carton protects in the retail store and 
discloses in the kitchen where sunlight becomes a 
relatively unimportant factor because the "shot" re- 
vealed are rapidly consumed. 

This unusual form of chocolate displayed in trans- 
parent glass on the pantry shelf suggests for itself a 
variety of uses. 



Containers That Antagonize 

A spoon is of course, the proper and most conveni- 
ent implement for removing horse-radish from a 
bottle. Why then should the National Grocery Com- 



28 PACKAGE FACTS 



pany adopt a glass jar with a mouth to narrow to 
admit a tablespoon and a depth too great to allow a 
teaspoon to reach the bottom? 

Jules Ferond's large hair preparation bottle and 
the one and three-quarters ounce tin of Prince Albert 
tobacco are less pronounced examples of impractical 
containers. The hair preparation is of the consistency 
of vaseline and the tobacco must be loosened, yet both 
are packed in containers deeper than any but the very 
longest fingers. It is trifling but annoying habits in 
people that cause discord. These three packages 
which always resist delivery of the last inch of horse- 
radish, tobacco and hair perparation are "nagging" 
their friendly consumers. 

To iron out annoyances and create packages which 
have publicity value because of their convenience has 
been one of the aims of Colgate & Compan3^ Consider 
three of the most frequently encountered members of 
the Colgate family: the refill shaving stick which 
"screws in just as the electric light bulb does"; the 
tooth paste that "comes out in a ribbon and lies flat 
on the brush"; F A B in the handy slotted carton. 
Colgate's advertising has stressed convenience of con- 
tainer rather than any special formula for the con- 
tents of those containers. 



PACKAGE FACTS 29 



Labels and Cartons that Fade 

George Washington Coffee, which is put up in tins, 
was found in the window of a New York grocery store 
labeled in faded blue and red. 

The trouble has undoubtedly since been remedied 
but that lot of poor quality labels give a counterfeit 
appearance to a well-known product. 

Sinclair & Valentine and probably other manufac- 
turers of printing inks test their colors for perman- 
ency. A powerful light with a daylight equivalent 
makes it possible to determine the length of time a 
certain color or quality of ink will retain its original 
appearance in strong sunlight. 

Responsible package manufacturers protect their 
customers by using fast colors for box board and 
printing ink. 



Legitimate Fields For Paper Containers 

The Truxton Dairy Company of New York City 
sold milk in paper containers for three weeks early in 
the year 1920. While the return to bottles is not 
accounted for it is safe to assume that the experiment 
was not successful. 



30 PACKAGE FACTS 



Milk requires a container which is adaptible to steri- 
lization by heat, which is strong enough to resist the 
weight of ice and which is so constructed as to permit 
rapid handling by machinery. That bottles show the 
cream line and are re-used an average of 25 times by a 
New York milk distributor makes their position as a 
milk receptacle more secure. 



If Light Causes Deterioration 

Sunlight, which is believed to have a slight purify- 
ing effect on milk, quickly causes deterioration in 
hydogen peroxide. The full strength of that anticep- 
tic is maintained by the use of brown glass. 



Stock Labels — Penny Wise Policy 

In the interest of economy new products sometimes 
appear under a stock label. 

A stock label brands as mediocre, handicaps and 
hangs a mill-stone on the neck of a good product. 
This mill-stone must be struck off before any real 
success can be attained. 

The black and white script label used by Hester 
Price has about it an air of dignity and good taste 



PACKAGE FACTS 31 



which cannot fail to impress. Her label, simple as it 
is, has character — the stock label printed in red, two 
shades of blue and gold lacks character. 

To furnish Peter's Jam or Fritzs' Vinegar a cheap 
name-plate, it is only necessary to change several 
words on one of these stock designs. 

The resultant labels serve the purpose for which 
they were intended almost as well as do the illustrations 
which appear in poorly edited humorous magazines. 
Those magazines buy any rejected art work which is 
cheap — it must be cheap — and employ men to find or 
write jokes to fit each of the otherwise useless illustra- 
tions. 

Stock labels and those illustrated jokes fall so far 
short as to be almost pathetic ; they both have nothing 
to recommend them except cheapness and like most 
bargains are not quite useless. 



On Box-Board Color and Finish 

The degree of whiteness found in patent-coated chip 
box-board generally varies in inverse ratio to the 
finish. 

A high finish is secured by increasing the pressure 
at the calender rolls on the paper machine. Highly 



32 PACKAGE FACTS 



calendered paper furnishes an excellent printing sur- 
face but the color tends toward gray. 

It is possible to secure a dead white color by sacrific- 
ing a high finish. 

A dead white paper is desirable if its surface is to 
remain largely exposed ; the highly finished paper with 
its slightly grayish tint should be used for ink 
spreads. A gray tint will pass unnoticed when spread 
with ink and uncovered only where lettering or decora- 
tion appears. 



More Than a Name-Plate 

Labels are not merely name-plates serving to iden- 
tify and vouch for their products. Nor are labels 
limited to their service as attractors of attention and 
mediums for printed salesmanship. 

The "Cresca" labels actually makes a mechanical 
improvement in its container. Asparagus is put up in 
glass jars under the "Cresca" label. The label is so 
placed on the side wall of the jar that it can only be 
read when the jar is held bottom up. Displayed in 
this reverse position the tender tips are by this ingen- 
ious labelling kept at the top of the package and tlie 
weight of the stalk is placed upon the tough butt end. 



PACKAGE FACTS 33 



Nujol's kbel is pasted on its bottle face down. Such 
a unique arrangement not only fixes the package in 
the consumers mind but also demands that the label be 
read through the walls of the bottle and most impor- 
tant — through the oil itself, thus forcefully demon- 
strating its perfect transparency. 

Neck labels are frequently and legimately used to 
conceal the empty space which is caused by contraction 
after sealing, containers of varying capacity or other 
mechanical difficulty. 



What Size Carton? 

Assume the product to be packaged has a cubic 
capacity of 100 inches. 

A carton 10x10x1 or 5x5x4 will furnish that ca- 
pacity. The 10x10x1 size gives a display surface of 
100 square inches, a most desirable condition in that 
the package would appear to be larger than the 
ordinary corn flake carton. 

The 5x5x4 size gives only 25 square inches of dis- 
play surface but it's advantages are apparent: it 
approaches the perfect cube which assures strength 
and requires lighter weight box-board; has 14% less 



34 PACKAGE FACTS 



surface area thus further reducing the amount of 
paper required ; has greater stability and manufactures 
more economically. 

Of course the comparison here drawn, is an extreme 
one. 



Strength or Glass and Tin 

An ordinary green soda bottle has withstood a 
lateral pressure of more than 2000 pounds and a 
horizontal pressure of almost 10,000 pounds. Such 
pressure resistance is not usually required of glass. 

It is the impact, not steady pressure which is fatal 
to glass. A sixty pound blow shattered the soda 
bottle previously mentioned. 

An unusual opportunity for the bottle is created 
in the packing of cement for roofing material. A 
quantity of cement is packed in a round container 
and used as a core for each roll of roofing. 

Any shock those containers might be sub j ected to Is 
absorbed by the many convolutions of roofing mater- 
ial so ability to withstand heavy compression is the 
principal requirement of these cement containers. 



PACKAGE FACTS 35 



Tin containers, which are in general use for roof- 
ing cement will not fracture under impact but under 
the heavy pressure endured by rolls of roofing in ship- 
ment there is the tendency of tin to buckle and permit 
leakage. 

The opposing characteristics of glass and tin, here 
brought out, speak eloquently for the possibilities of 
each when properly used. 

Generic Words Condemned 

Recently a Pittsburgh packer received a summons 
to appear before the New York food authorities to 
show why he should not be prosecuted for violation 
of certain state laws. Their alleged offense concerned 
the label on their sweet pickle relish; the word 
"vegetables," which is prohibited as a generic term, 
was used. 



A proper description of the pickle relish would be 
'^Cucumbers, peppers" and an exact statement of 
other ingredients. 

Play Big With Package Men 

It does not pay to draw up rigid carton specifica- 
tions which are believed to insure delivery of perfect 



36 PACKAGE FACTS 



cartons. Even the most responsible manufacturers 
resent such tactics ; it is human nature to take advan- 
tage of the loop-holes that must sooner or later occur 
in the buying of made-to-order products, such as 
cartons. 

Box-board quality and thickness most frequently 
cause friction between manufacturers and buyers of 
packages. 

An excellent opportunity to illustrate the use of too 

heavy box-board is afforded by the "R " Spark 

plug carton. Box-board known as single manila- 
lined chip .030 inches in thickness was used for the 

R carton which is very little larger than the 

penny match box. Board about one half the thick- 
ness used in those spark plug cartons suffices to make 
the one-pound sugar carton. 

If board calipering .013 inches could be used for 
spark plugs, although that weight might be a trifle 
light, two million cartons could be made from exactly 
the same quantity of board as would be required for 
one million of the .030 thickness. 

True, it is better to err on the side of safety, but 
to double the board weight purchases safety at rather 
a high figure. 



PACKAGE FACTS 37 



Another troublesome point is box-board quality. 
There should be a new name coined for certain grades 
of paper — they might well be called "sponge" board. 

"Sponge" board can be identified by its porous and 
lightly calendered surface, and an entire absence of 
that tin-like snap found in good box-board. 

A quantity of "sponge" board which calipers .019 
inches will make 1383 cartons of a certain size while 
exactly the same quantity of strong fibred snappy 
board, also calipering .019 will make not more than 
1086 cartons of an indentical size. 

The 1086 cartons are strong and first quality while 
the 1383 are inferior. Such differences in quality are 
responsible for the slightly higher prices sometimes 
quoted by responsible manufacturers. 

The caliper or thickness is important but no more 
so than quality and finish. Those technicalities cause 
reputable package manufacturers to lose business to 
mushroom competition which for very good reasons 
can underbid the long established and therefor respon- 
sible manufacturer. 

Irresponsible manufacturers complying with the 
letter of specifications may legally fullfill their con- 
tract with an inferior product while on the other hand 
the old time firm with a long record of fair dealing 



38 PACKAGE FACTS 



loses the order because the spirit of the contract is 
taken into consideration. It is the policy of the time- 
tried firm to give a customer the benefit of the doubt 
and furnish only such material as will perfectly fullfill 
all requirements. 



"Chevy Chase" and Mayonnaise Are Not 
Synonyms 

Mayonnaise in glass but completely covered by a 
label which prevents recognition of the product should 
be prominently marked "Mayonnaise." 

It is appropriate that a salad dressing packed in 
the District of Columbia should be named "Chevy 
Chase," but it is a mistake to dra.w on its label the 
word "Mayonnaise" in high, narrow and fancy letter- 
ing which cannot be read at a distance of several paces. 

Too much is taken for granted by the owner of 
that label. The name "Chevy Chase" may eventually 
mean "Mayonnaise" to every person in Washington 
and its environs but until it does the word "Mayon- 
naise" should be just as conspicious as "Chevy Chase" 
— on the Del Monte label the words "Current Jelly" 
are more prominent than is the name "Del Monte." 



PACKAGE FACTS 39 



Distinctive Form Aids Recognition 

In designing packages it is well to remember that 
that form is recognizable when lettering is illegible. 

An envelope sticker prepared by the Glass Con- 
tainer Association included a slogan and an illustra- 
tion showing eight nationally advertised products in 
bottles and jars. Of the eight packages just two 
could be recognized when reduced to fit that postage 
stamp size of sticker. 

The Chcquot Club esquimaux and keystone shaped 
Heinz label could be distinguished and had to be mar- 
red with a cold-chisel on thirty sets of nickel steel 
electros because the association did not deem it proper 
that these well known packages should appear in their 
publicity material. 

Shape and form have a greater recognition value 
than wording or color scheme. This fact can be 
profitably applied to the design of packages. 

Del Monte's shield permits the use of large lettering 
for the words "Current Jelly." The shield plus the 
red and green color scheme assure instantaneous 
recognition to that family of canned fruits and vege- 
tables. Those two devices tell the consumer that the 
container is "Del Monte," thus leaving to illustration 
and lettering, the task of telling the public that the 
package contains peas or peaches. 



40 PACKAGE FACTS 



It will be found that the color scheme and shield 
furnish such perfect identification as to permit the 
words "Currant Jellj" to appear in larger type than 
does the firm name. 



"Disappearing" Corks 

The ill-fitting cork which sinks below the bottle's 
lip each time it is replaced must be classed as a public 
nuisance. Frequent searches for a suitable cork re- 
mover have not heightened the author's regard for 
Milk of Magnesia packed under the A. D. S. label. 

Accurately Cut Cartons and Labels 

Only labels and cartons which are accurately cut to 
a fraction of an inch will permit capacity production 
on automatic machines. 

A manufacturing confectioner, accustomed to buy 
150,000,000 labels on one order, was forced to change 
his source of supply when old fashioned hand methods 
went into the discard and automatic machines were 
substituted. 

Minute variation in label size caused the machines 
to jam, resulting in idleness for machines and em- 
ployees. 



PACKAGE FACTS 41 



Three cornered arguments involving the label manu- 
facturer, the machine maker and packer can be 
avoided; the machine designer should be required to 
draw up label specifications showing maximum and 
minimum size which will properly operate in the 
machine. 

There should be frequent inspection and rejection 
of those lots of labels which do not come up to 
standard. 



Why Does The Western Union Use 
Blue and White? 

Perhaps there is some significance for package de- 
signers in the fact that the Western Union and Postal 
Telegraph companies use for their signs a white letter 
on a blue ground. 

Extreme legibility is one requirement of these signs, 
which even in rural communities must prominently de- 
signate the telegraph office for travelers and others 
addicted to rapid communication. The numbered 
signs used to designate New York streets employ the 
same color scheme. 

Black on a white background furnishes the greatest 
color contrast with violet on yellow in second place. 
Color contrast is, of course an aid to legibility. 



42 PACKAGE FACTS 



Colgate's new shaving cream carton is banded in 
two shades of blue and its lettering appears in white 
on these bands. Long distance legibility might be a 
minor consideration but for the fact that packages, 
live for generations and to be successful must be seen 
by millions of persons. 



Snow Under a Black Cloth 

It is a well known fact that snow, under a black 
or colored cloth will melt faster than that under a 
colorless material. 

Two bottles — one clear and the other of colored 
glass were filled with the same liquid. The two were 
exposed to the sun an equal length of time; the tem- 
perature of the colored bottle's contents was found to 
average three to five degrees higher. Heat hastens 
bacteria growth so in this respect colored glass is a 
drawback. Visual inspection for cleanliness is pre- 
vented — another disadvantage of non-transparent 
glass. 



Packages Have Horizons 

Round packages have horizons beyond which it is 
impossible to see. It is a common occurence to see a 



PACKAGE FACTS 43 



person turning a round package from side to side, so 
that the directions or other wording may be read. 
Type Hues are set too wide. 

It is ridicul/ous to suppose that any user of cartons 
so letters his package that it must be turned to be read 
— each of the four sides and two ends carry a com- 
plete message. The users of round containers are the 
offenders. 

Diamond "W" gilt paint and other products in 
round containers are so labelled that when viewed 
from one angle they present incomplete words and 
sentences. 

By panelling a label which is to be used on a curved 
surface it is possible to add tremendously to its dis> 
play value. 



Avoid Fine Register 

In the cutting and creasing of cartons fine register 
is an even more difficult process than printing press 
register. Artists should recognize this limitation and 
avoid the use of panels or other decoration which 
closely parallels the scores and outer edges of the 
carton blank. 



44 PACKAGE FACTS 



An eighth of an inch should be sufficient margin 
between all printing and scores. 



There Are Many Varieties Of Beans 

Canners have been prosecuted for using stock labels 
which do not correctly picture the contents of their 
cans. The family tree of the lowly bean is a wide- 
spreading one and Uncle Sam's inspectors are enthu- 
siastic students of bean geneology. 

The government will not permit apparently harm- 
less misrepresentation — illustrations on can labels 
must correctly picture the variety, size and color of 
the product contained, and not some closely related 
variety. 

Over- Worked Red 

Of 229 packages chosen at random all but 61 
employed red as part of their color scheme. 

Pears Appear Unripe in Green Glass 

An uneven distribution of manganese in molten 
glass will result in some bottles having a pinkish tinge 
while others from the same batch will be greenish in 



PACKAGE FACTS 45 



color. Milk seen through greenish glass has a curious 
and rather unpleasant appearance and pears thus 
viewed look unripe. 



One Source Of Supply 

"Not responsible for delays due to strikes, fires or 
other circumstances over which we have no control" is 
a clause, which appears as a warning on the letter- 
heads of firms, manfacturing packages. 

In splitting large package orders among two or 
more firms there is everything to gain and nothing 
to lose. Small buyers must, of course, sacrifice the 
lower price if they decide to maintain more than one 
source of supply. 



Celluloid Labels 

Celluloid, which lends itself to lithography per- 
haps better than paper does, is sometimes used for 
labels. It's appearance can be renewed with a damp 
cloth and it's perfect surface shows color printing 
to advantage. 

The manufacturer of Herpicide uses celluloid labels 
for those of his bottles which are refilled many times ; 



46 PACKAGE FACTS 



the high labor cost of hand application (only two 
gross of bottles can be labelled by one girl in a day) 
can be divided by the number of times the bottle is 
refilled. 



Metal and Glass as Heat Conductors 

Certain products such as fruits, vegetables and 
meats must be subjected to sterilization by heat after 
being sealed in cans or jars. 

The rate at which the heat penetrates to the center 
of a package is largely controlled by the character of 
the contents although the material of which the con- 
tainer is made does have an effect on this rate. 

String beans which are packed in a free flowing 
liquid are processed more rapidly in the tin can while 
corn cut from the cob and of a viscous consistency 
reaches a given temperature more rapidly in the glass 
jar. 

In heating the advantages of tin are partly secured 
to the glass jar, which generally has metal cap, by 
inverting the j ar so that the contents come in contact 
with the metal. 



PACKAGE FACTS 47 



Caps and Bottles 

Because of storage limitations bottles are stocked 
in smaller quantities than are their less bulky caps. 
In consequence it may be found that a quantity of 
caps are on hand when the bottle stock is exhausted ; 
perhaps price or other factors makes it advisable to 
change the source of supply for bottles. The new 
bottles must fit the old caps. 

The bottle manufacturers association is making 
progress in standardization of cap and glass finish, 
but until the work is further advanced the packers 
themselves should take all the necessary precautions to 
prevent misfits. 

The U. S. government considered it necessary in 
testing bottle capacities to examine 50 samples picked 
at random. This would seem to be a wise precaution 
in the problem of relating the cap to the bottle. 



Light Borders Reduce Apparent Size 

A light color border at the extreme top , bottom 
or sides of a label or carton design tends to decrease 
the apparent size of a dark colored package. The 
dark body of the label appears to mark the outline of 
the package, creating an impression that the over-all 



48 PACKAGE FACTS 



size does not extend beyond the limits of the dark 
color. A large appearance is most certainly desirable 
so it is well to extend the body color the full height 
and width or employ a border darker than the con- 
tainers body coloring. 



A Simple Bottle Test 

The United States Bureau of Standards bases its 
specifications for glass on the boiling test. Glass that 
has not developed cracks or flaws at the end of six 
hours boiling is regarded as being of good quality. 



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